Robben Ford Discussion

[fingerlakes]

It actually stopped snowing here for a day last week and I drove to Syracuse to do a little shopping. While in a large music store there I stumbled on a Robben CD entitled " Discovering the Blues....LIve ". I wasn't aware of this CD and haven't seen it discussed here. This CD was recorded in 1972 and released in 1997 on the Avenue Jazz label as part of the Vault Classic series. I don't know how old Robben was in 1972, he looks really young on the cover.

The CD is comprised of classic slow blues tunes and one original Robben tune. The quality of the recording is a little rough, but the blues chops from a young Robben are awesome, particularly on BB King's " Sweet Sixteen " and John Lee Hooker's " It's MY Own Fault ". While Robben's playing lacks some of the depth and maturity of what we are hearing today, a guitar monster in the making is sure evident in his playing on this CD.

The keyboard player is a guy named Paul Nagle. He is excellent and plays an absolutely killer solo on " Sweet Sixteen " on what sounds like a Fender Rhodes piano.

Robben even plays the saxophone here on the classic " You Don't know What Love Is ". It is a wonderful and soulful rendition. I wasn't aware Robben played the sax . I guess it's just one of the reasons that we all come here to marvel at this incredible and multi faceted musician.

I just thought I'd share my good fortune at stumbling upon this CD, and I think that all of his fans here would enjoy should they happen to find it.

I forgot to mention that this CD was recorded at the Ash Grove in Hollywood, CA and at The Golden Bear in Huntington Beach, CA.

Elizabeth........When we were chatting about Robben's vocals the other day you mentioned how much you enjoyed some of Robben's earlier vocals with thier raspy, kind of growly qualities as opposed to the more polished sound he's going for now. After listening to a young Robben sing the blues on his CD, your point is well taken.

[marinblues]

My favourite track is You Drive a Hard Bargain. I used to play it with my old band.

Nice semi-acoustic sound all through the LP. I don't think he was into 335 yet.....I guess it was a S400 or L4 or 5......Aeolian....Help!

marin

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IOLITE REVIEW

[Aeolian]

Avenue owns the rights to these recording so they are legitimate, not bootlegs, but my understanding is that Robben get's stiffed. I've seen him give an earful to people who have brought one of these releases up to him. Although being Robben, his earfull is pretty polite, but you can tell from the look on his face that it bugs him.

The cover shows him playing a Guild Starfire of all things. I think this was in his Super 400 era. There is another release with Spoon showing the two of them together and he has the S400. I also heard that he was playing solid state Yamaha's around this time. Kind of like the one that Mike Stern still uses. Interestingly, a fellow from Santa Cruz was in the audience listening to this stuff and then going home and tweaking amps trying to get the same sound. We all know how that ended up.
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